Excavation of Fort Stanwix (1970s)

for [Music] we wish to speak to your commant you'll have to be blindfolded before you can enter the fort well blindfold the offic this is the last time we'll have to wear these infernal blindfold careful there gentlemen keep in mind that these British will do all they can to unnerve and irritate us yes sir and by all means don't show any reactions to their demands that's right be very careful we are well prepared to withstand their Siege and S if you're nervous try not to show it even with the blindfolds on they don't look scared they didn't come here to surrender not with an army camped in those woods they didn't it ain't the red coats and the toys that got me worried it's all them Indians with him maybe they'll tell Gans we can just March out of here and be gone now why would the British do a thing like that because we ain't part of this all we're doing is escorting supplies well now boy why don't you just walk out through them Gates and the first Indian you see you say to him I'm just a Massachusetts man and I just happen to be standing around that Fort when you got here and by your leave I'll be getting home now still rather be sitting at Fort Dayton right now and that Indian's going to say oh I can see your scalping is invi liy Yorkers and I hope you have a pleasant journey if you ask me it's bad luck getting caught here I am directed by General simminger to inform the common d that the general has prevailed upon the Indians to agree that if the Garrison without further resistance shall be delivered up to the investing Army the officers and soldiers shall be allowed to march with all their luggage and private property without molestation and take themselves when they please but otherwise the general fears the consequences should you not consider this you those prisoners uh we took yesterday say they're bringing up six maybe seven Cannon out there it's going to get noisier than all them musket balls they've been throwing at us for the last 5 days they say Herkimer got killed at arisky all his men got whipped now that's a lie that messenger would got here said he was on his way well he didn't get here did he I am likewise directed to remind the commandant that the recent defeat of General Herer must deprive The Garrison of all hopes of relief general b is already an normany and sooner or later this fault must fall into our hands no you just take some of this if the pain persists all right doctor I wish one of the women had stayed with her we get enough to worry about without delivering babies too Kano was right sending most them down river with the children it's a lot safer at the settlement safer like those three girls the Indians caught last week Woodruff as long as I live I never get used to the sight of a scalping indeed the Indians are so exceedingly provoked and mortified by the losses they have sustained in late actions that they d threatened to destroy the settlement therefore General singer from an Earnest desire to prevent the Bloodshed of not only men but women and children ardently hopes that the common d by complying with the terms now offered and immediately surrendering The Garrison will save himself from further regret over the effects of their vengeance do I understand you sir you have made a long speech which stripped of its superfluities amounts to telling me that if I do not deliver this Garrison into the hands of your Colonel he will send his Indians to murder our women and children you will please reflect sir that their blood will be on your hands and not ours I hope he can do it who do what gansor he's got to stall those British somehow it's all he can do to help AR in short gentlemen you may tell your general that before I will consider delivering this Garrison his demands must be drafted in the proper form I tell you I'm getting out they'll kill us for sure before this thing is done stop talking foolish they got to get in here before anyone gets killed I tell you the Indians will find a way in here and scalp us in our sleep I'm going to wear this out polishing before they let us shoot Sergeant we low on water again soon as it gets dark we'll send out a party to the creek wish I knew what was going to happen it's too quiet I wish the shooting would start up again I heard the officer say there's going to be a 3-day standown well if you ask me they wouldn't have taken half the pains to get us to surrender if they wasn't afraid we'd beat him try to convince the militia to exert themselves on our behalf well you know I'll do my best but at all costs get to Albany and inform General Skyler of our situation there's not much time tell Skyler we have less than 5 weeks of supplies left and we're dangerously low on Powder Peter I will find help somewhere there [Applause] go hold hold I say open the gate Fort Skyler August 9th 1777 sir your letter of this morning's date I have received in answer to which I say that it is my determined resolution with the forces under my command to defend this fort and Garrison to the last extremity in behalf of the United American States who have placed me here to defend it against all their enemies I have the honor to be sir your most obedient humble servant Peter Gan for it appears cers that the British have received my communication yes sir I believe you're right cus see that all Provisions are moved from the barracks and placed on the parade as any of the buildings catch on fire yes [Applause] sir out help [Applause] [Applause] what Sid it all public papers and money in the hands of Mr Hansen and the papers belonging to the to the pay Master will be lodged in the southwest bomb yes sir [Music] [Music] two days and nights God when is it all going to end about the time they run out of Cannonball when are we going to shoot back Lieutenant when we can see them Sergeant they won't be wasting any gunpowder [Music] maybe Benson was right he wanted me to go with [Music] him I can't get no sleep leave off so I can get some sleep uh Colonel the British have their trenching parties working oh how far away are they about 150 yard sir it'll give their Cannon an easy range too easy we'll have to do something of course being as close as they are they make a pretty fine Target themselves load the cannon with grape shot maybe that'll Harry them a little yes sir so the next move begins their Cannon will pound the walls until they are breached unless General Arnold arrives sponge down cartrid down a 10 vent charge with cartridge fire Prime Advance spun our Cannon are using too much powder and firing at their trench Colonel how low is our supply too low if they attack us sir very well Pick 12 of our best marksmen and set them to work if the British get their cannon into that Trench [Music] gansor doesn't look for it but I wouldn't want to be him right now when do you think they're going to come in on us they got to make a hole in the wall first 6 days why don't we do something the Lord Of Glory is my life and my salvation too God is my strength nor will I fear what all my foes can do one privilege my heart desires oh grant me mine Abode among the churches of thy Saints the Temple of my god there shall I offer my requests in see thy Glory still shall hear thy messages of love and learn thy holy will dear Lord would you tell him to stop the shooting so we can get some [Music] sleep no it ain't so sergeant [Music] apparently the brine leeched out of two of the barrels sir we've had to throw out 1,000 lb of meat all right Captain we'll make do Colonel Willard ought to be back in a day or so sir it's them mortar bombs that scare me boy they come down on you 17 days Lord help us Colonel Willard if you didn't find help really know Sentry you see anything no sir nothing very well Captain Savage amuse them with a few rounds sir Sergeant range 200 y solid shot handle cartrid Ram [Music] down fire they aren't firing fire you don't suppose that deserter was telling the truth if he was and the British really did break Camp do you think he was right about General Arnold coming with 3,000 men tell Captain Jensen to take 50 men and go have a look at the British Camp gentlemen you've just been witnessed to the birth of a fine baby girl thank God somebody ought to go tell the [Applause] colonel well we got there moving very careful but there wasn't a single soul there not British nor Indian here take this they left in a hurry too we brought back wagon loads of supplies and Cannon too and Canon put that over there with the rest the Tories Captain Jensen took prisoner claimed their Indians turned on them and stabbed them with their own bayonets but he didn't find out if Arnold is really coming a party approaching looks like colon Willis Captain Jensen prepare a salute colon the general is at the edge of the field he's here Captain Jensen I'll have that salute now [Applause] no sh